Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-02-11

true, but her gentle sigh told me
she was not deceived by the empty
form of words.
was Just convalescing sufficient
~ to sit up when Colonel Tresse-
lyn came to our house. lie had
been an old school friend of Es-
telle Raymond before she married
my father, but it so CHANGED that l
had never seen him.
He was tall and handsome, with
large, black eyes, a rich, brown
skin and a face and figure like the
sculptured representative Of Apol-
To- And the soft southern grace
of his manner was as fne as 1t was
attractive to me.
The first day that knew that l
had fallen in love with him, was
the day that l had first fancied his
manner had a deeper shade of ten
derness than its wont toward my
stepmother.
The light flashed blindingly, be-
wilderingly in upon my soul! My
beautiful, hated stepmother-she
was not then content with stealing
from q motherless girl fathers
treasured love, but she must faiD
take also away the dearest jewel of
woman's life-the heart OF the
man she loved most dearly.
l had recourse to my usual pana'
cea for a sore heart-sOlltude! L
sought the lonely depths of the
authenticated woods to think and
dream and burn in upon my heart
the passionate consciousness OF my
own grief and isolation. And l
could not have told whether | had
been there three hours or only three
minutes, when voices in the leaf
shaded aisles beyond we're tiOated
gently to my ears-my step-moth-
er's tones mingled with the sweet
deep accents of Colonel Tresselyn.
They did not know l was there,
but | had neither the spirit nor the
pride to reveal my presence.
alt is useless, Ralph" Estelle's
sweet voice spoke. 81 know that |
am still young in years, but such
things as love and marriage are
over for me-
"And you will not be my wife y
"No, Ralph--but it is not that !
do not esteem and respect YOU"
"You send me away from you z,
he said, in a somewhat piqued tone
"There you are wrong again
Ralph. l would fain keep you by
my side as a dear and valued friend
Ask Isabel to be your wife-she is
young and beautiful, with rare rich
ness of nature and q heart which
will appreciate you as you deserve
AS Isabers husband you can scarce
ly fail to be happy, for"
And here the growing distance
and the rustic of the leaves dOwned
their receding voices, and l sal
there with exultant throbs III my
heart. Ought l to have been in
dignant9 Should have spurne(
she adulation which had been laiC
first at another's shrine2 l can on
| y answer that loved him :
In that hour my manner, as vel
as my heart, altered toward my
step .mother-and on the evening
when Ralph Tresselyn asked me t
be his wife, went to her and tolC
her of it, with my arm upon he
shoulder and my heart pressed
close against hers.
81 am so glad, Isabel she whis
pered, "and not alone that you ant
Ralph are to be happy, because
think you have finally learned t
love me-"
81 do love you, mother ~ whis
pered softly.
"Mamma~ | said, carressingly
one day, when we had just return
ed from our wedding tour, 81 won
; der that you didn't like him {"
"Did l ever tell you, Belle, tina
l did not like him ~
care you in earnest 2
"Just thus far she answered
"that ! might have learned to love
e him as a wife had I allowed my
self to do so. But, Belle, there
we're two obstacles in the way
your dear fathers memory anC
your own happiness. read you
heart, dearest, aud l knew tina
} Ralph need only to do so, too, t.
! love you as you deserved"